We had a safe trip back home and, once jet-lag was gone, everything is back to normal.

The travel has been a fantastic, unique experience I will never forget. Thanks for setting everything so well, so precisely, so perfectly! Everything was really great, from the hotels to the guides. So...thank you! The only thing you couldn't really do anything on was the weather. Maybe next time you can "book" also some sunny weather for us, ok? ^_^

That was my pleasure to meet you in Chengdu. I promise next time I'll come to China I'll be able to read the book you gave me ^_^

Tour Name: Essence of ChinaTour Code: M11D181Duration:8 Days & 7 NightsDestination:Beijing, Xi'an, ShanghaiFeatures:Essence of China offers incredible value and is especially designed for those who are short of time, yet still wish to experience the highlights of China in one compact program.Departure Date:You Choose!Tour Price:From $ P.P.

Trip Summary

Detailed Itinerary

Dates & Prices

Tour Dates

Destinations

Tours & Services

Meals

Accommodation

Day01

Beijing

Arrive in Beijing, be met and transferred to hotel.

N/A

Jianguo Hotel Beijing

Day02

Beijing

Full day visit Forbidden City, Tiananmen Square, The Temple of Heaven.

B, L

Jianguo Hotel Beijing

Day03

Beijing

One day tour of Great Wall of China at Badaling, Ming Tombs The Sacred Way. On the way back to hotel, you will visit the main 2008 Beijing Olympic venues, take an exterior visit of both the Beijing National Stadium (Bird's Nest/Olympic Stadium) National Swimming Centre ('The Water Cube') , feel free to take some photos of the stadiums.

B, L

Jianguo Hotel Beijing

Day04

Beijing / Xi'an

In the morning, take a Hutong Tour in Rickshaw and Summer Palace , then transferred to airport for flight to Xian, arrive in Xian, be met and transferred to hotel.

Day01 Arrival BeijingToday you arrive in Beijing, the capital of China. Greeted and received by your local guide and escorted to your hotel in downtown Beijing. The rest of day is at your own disposal.

Day02 Beijing (B, L)Enjoy your buffet breakfast at your hotel. Today you will have a day guided tour to explore Beijing. This morning the tour begins with a visit of the Temple of Heaven, located in the southern part of Beijing, and has been one of the most holy places for the whole country for more than five centuries. It used as a complex of sacrificial buildings for the Ming and Qing emperors, and is the largest one in Beijing among several royal altars to Heaven, Earth, the Sun, the Moon and other deities or symbolic forces of Nature. Then you will take a walking in the iconic Tiananmen Square, which is probably the biggest one of its kind in the world. From here you will go on to the Forbidden City (also known officially as the Imperial Palace Museum ) was commissioned by the third Emperor of the Ming Dynasty, Emperor Yong Le. The palace was built between 1406 and 1420, but was burnt down, rebuilt, sacked and renovated countless times, so most of the architecture you can see today dates from the 1700's and on wards. The Forbidden City was the seat of Imperial power for 500 years, and is now a major tourist attraction in China. The total area of the complex is 183 acres, so it takes quite a while to walk through, especially if you want to have a close look at everything. All together there are 9,999 1/2 rooms in the Museum, not all of which can be visited.

Day03 Beijing (B, L)This morning you will head to the Great Wall of China at Badaling. The Great Wall, like the Pyramids of Egypt, the Taj Mahal in India and the Hanging Garden of Babylon, is one of the great wonders of the world. Starting out in the east on the banks of the Yalu Rivers in Liaoning Province, the Great Wall stretches westwards for 12,700km to Jiayuguan in the Bobi Desert, thus known as the Ten Thousand Li Wall in China. The lunch today will be arranged at a good restaurant at the foot of the Great Wall. In the afternoon you will pass through the Sacred Way to visit the Ming Tomb. Composed of memorial archway, ornamental pillar, and stele pavilion ornamental etc, the Sacred Way is a long path that leads you to the Ming Tomb. It was thought to have leaded the emperors' souls to enter heaven. The Ming Tomb is the burial site of 13 out of 17 emperors of the Ming Dynasty (1368 - 1644). Being the last resting place of 13 emperors, it is also called as Thirteen Tombs by Chinese. On the way back to your hotel, you will visit the 2008 Beijing Olympic venues, take an exterior visit of both the Beijing National Stadium (Bird's Nest/Olympic Stadium) and National Swimming Centre (The Water Cube'), feel free to take some photos of the stadiums.

Day04 Beijing / Xian (B, L)This morning you will take a unique Hutong tour by a rickshaw to discover the old residential area of Beijing. Hutongs are closely associated with individual four-sided courtyard in which people live. Most Hutongs are running east west for the local dwellers to procure the sunlight. Afterwards you will visit the Summer Palace. Located at the northwest suburb of Beijing, the Summer Palace was originally a royal garden and a temporary dwelling palace for emperors of Qing Dynasty, Its predecessor was the Garden of Clear Ripples (Qingyiyuan) started in 1750 and burned down by the British and French allied troops in 1860. In 1886, Empress Dowager Cixi used navy outlays and other funds in the reconstruction and renamed the park as Summer Palace in 1888.The Summer Palace in northwest suburban Beijing is the largest and most complete imperial garden existing in China. Later of the day you will be transferred to airport for a flight to Xi'an and upon arrival your guide will meet you and escort you to hotel in town.

Day05 Xian (B, L)Your Xi'an tour begins with the mighty Terra Cotta Warriors and Horses. Discovered in 1974, Xian Terra Cotta Warriors and Horses Site is one of the most important archaeological finds in the 20th century. In a vault of approximately 12,000m2 and 5m underground lay some 8,000 terracotta infantry soldiers, archers, cavalrymen and chariots arranged in battle formation, ready to defend their emperor's immortal soul. After the visit you will have a very good local lunch at a graceful restaurant. Then you will head back town and visit the Big Wild Goose Pagoda. Situated inside Ci'en Temple (4 kilometers south of Xi'an City), it is one of the famous Buddhist pagodas in China. Sponsored by Tang Emperor Gaozong (628-683, reigned 650-683), the temple was first built in 652 during the Tang Dynasty as a symbol of thanksgiving to his mother for her kindness who had suffered an early death. Later of the day your guide will take you to the city center to see the Bell Tower of Xi'an. The Bell Tower was built in 1384 during the reign of Emperor Zhu Yuanzhang of Ming Dynasty as a way to dominate the surrounding countryside and provide early warning of attack by rival rulers.

Day06 Xi'an / Shanghai (B, L)This morning you will pay a visit to the Ancient City Wall of Xi'an. Built 600 years ago (1374 - 1378) in the Ming Dynasty, the Wall was added on the Tang Dynasty walls. Being the most prominent walls built after medieval time, it is also the best-kept and biggest city walls in Xian. Afterwards you will have a tour to the Shaanxi Historical Museum. As of China's most prestigious museums, it has a huge area of 65,000 square meters, building place 55,600 square meters, cultural relics storerooms of 8,000 square meters, exhibition halls of 11,000 square meters with a collection of 370000 pieces of relics. Later of the day you will take a flight to Shanghai. Your guide will meet you at airport and transfer you to your hotel in Shanghai.

Day07 Shanghai (B, L)You have a day guided trip to explore the city of Shanghai. You will visit the Jade Buddha Temple. As Shanghai's most popular temple with visitors, the Jade Buddha complex has an exceedingly short history, having been completed in 1918, but it exudes a powerful potion of thick incense, flashy decorations, and a dark, seedy atmosphere that makes it seem centuries older. After that you will proceed to the Shanghai Museum. The Shanghai Museum contains more than 112,000 Chinese cultural relics from the Old Stone Age to modern times, including bronze ware, calligraphy, paintings etc. Then you will continue to visit Yuyuan Garden and the Bund. Yuyuan garden is the most famous garden in south China and decorated with beautiful pavilions, miniature lakes, bridges and rock formations. Shanghai Bund is a section of riverfront along the Huangpu River in Shanghai which until the early 1800s was undeveloped. The Bund is without question one of the most popular Shanghai attractions. This waterfront area, which runs for about a mile along the Huangpu River, forms the easternmost boundary of Old Shanghai, and here you can gaze at buildings of various architectural styles. Later in the afternoon your guide will take you to the Oriental Pearl Tower where you may have a stunning skyline of the townscape Shanghai.

Day08 Depart Shanghai (B)Your guide and driver will transfer you to airport according to your flight schedule. End of your Essence of China travel.

Tour costing varies upon group size, travel season and hotel accommodation levels etc. For price details please email us at info@splendidchinatours.com.Price inclusions:01). All accommodations based on two persons sharing one room (single occupancy is subject to supplement);02). China internal flights with airport tax or train as stated in the program;03). Round-trip transfers between airports or railway stations, hotels, and scenic spots in each city by private air-conditioned vehicles with experienced licensed drivers;04). All admission fees and activity expenses as listed in the itinerary;05). Daily meals as specified in the itinerary: B denotes breakfast, L denotes lunch, and D denotes dinner (SD signifies special dinner);06). Services of a local English speaking guide in each city (other languages can be arranged upon request, supplement may apply);07). Travel Agency Liability Insurance during the tour;08). Governmental taxes and fees.